Spirit Airlines Explained

Airline:Spirit Airlines
Fleet Size:211
Destinations:91[1]
Iata:NK
Icao:NKS
Callsign:SPIRIT WINGS
Founded:
Aoc:GTIA770S[2]
Headquarters:Dania Beach, Florida, United States
Key People:Ted Christie (president & CEO)
Frequent Flyer:Free Spirit[3]
Revenue: (2022)[4]
Operating Income: (2022)
Net Income: (2022)
Assets: (2022)
Equity: (2022)
Num Employees:11,000 (2023)

Spirit Airlines, Inc., stylized as spirit, is a major American ultra-low cost airline headquartered in Dania Beach, Florida, in the Miami metropolitan area. Spirit operates scheduled flights throughout the United States, the Caribbean, and Latin America. Spirit was the seventh largest passenger carrier in North America as well as the largest ultra-low-cost carrier in North America.

History

Establishment and early history

The company started as Clippert Trucking Company in 1964.[5] In 1974, the company changed its name to Ground Air Transfer, Inc. In 1983, the airline service was founded in Macomb County, Michigan, by Ned Homfeld as Charter One Airlines, a Detroit-based charter tour operator providing travel packages to entertainment destinations such as Atlantic City, Las Vegas, and the Bahamas.[6]

1990s

In May 1992, Charter One brought jet aircraft into the fleet and changed its name to Spirit Airlines.[7] Scheduled flights between Detroit and Atlantic City began on June 1, 1992. Scheduled flights between Boston and Providence began on June 15, 1992.

In April 1993, Spirit Airlines began scheduled service to Orlando, Fort Lauderdale, and St. Petersburg, Florida. Flights between Atlantic City and Fort Myers, Florida, began in September 1993.[8] Service at Philadelphia began in 1994.[9] During the next five years, Spirit expanded further, increasing service from Detroit and adding service in new markets such as Myrtle Beach, Los Angeles, and New York City.

In the summer of 1994, Spirit Airlines overbooked flights, and 1,400 customers' tickets were canceled.[10] The overbooking occurred because Spirit Airlines had given incorrect instructions to travel agents, causing those tickets not to be valid, even though the customers had paid for the flights. In response to criticism, Spirit Airlines said it would make sure all paid customers would always be able to fly to their destination, even if Spirit Airlines had to book them on a competitor's airline.

In 1996, Janet Patton became Spirit Airlines' first female pilot.[11] In 1998, she became the first female captain.[11] At the time, Spirit was utilizing DC-9[12] and MD-80 aircraft.

Spirit initially had their headquarters in Eastpointe, Michigan, formerly East Detroit, in Metro Detroit.[13] It relocated its headquarters in December 1999, moving to Miramar, Florida, in the Miami metropolitan area.[14] Prior to the decision to move the headquarters to Miramar, Spirit considered Atlantic City, New Jersey, and Detroit, Michigan.[15]

2000s

In 2000, the US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) fined Spirit Airlines $67,000 for violating federal regulations on cabin and seat markings and placards.[16] Discrepancies were found in the marking and placarding of emergency equipment, passenger seats, storage areas and doors on eight of Spirit's DC9 and MD80 aircraft.[17] [18]

In November 2001, Spirit inaugurated service to San Juan, Puerto Rico. They implemented a fully integrated Spanish-language customer service plan, including a website and dedicated reservation line.[19]

In the fall of 2003, Spirit resumed flights to Washington, D.C.'s Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport, which were suspended after the September 11 attacks. Spirit began service to Grand Cayman, San Francisco, and Boston in 2006. In 2007, Spirit filed DOT applications to offer service to Costa Rica, Haiti, the Netherlands Antilles, and Venezuela.

In January 2005, Ben Baldanza was hired as the President of Spirit, with the goal of making the company profitable. In 2006, following an investment by Indigo Partners, Baldanza was elevated to the CEO role and held the position for 10 years. This included a complete transformation of the business model and a public offering in 2011.

In 2006, Spirit exercised options to order 30 Airbus A320-200 aircraft for further expansion. Deliveries began in March 2010.[20]

In June 2008, Spirit Airlines made a WARN (Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notice) application to potentially relocate or lay off hundreds of pilots and flight attendants, and the closure of their San Juan and LaGuardia crew bases.[21] In September 2008, Spirit began placing advertisements on the side of aircraft, overhead bins, tray tables, seatback inserts and bulkheads.[22]

In May 2009, after more than four years of inconclusive negotiations between the airline and the Air Line Pilots Association (ALPA), Spirit pilots overwhelmingly (98% of votes) voted in favor of strike action over compensation, work rules, and benefits. At that time, Spirit pilots were among the lowest-paid Airbus pilots in the United States. On June 12, 2010, Spirit grounded its flights when its unionized pilots walked out on strike, stranding thousands of passengers. This was the first passenger airline strike by American ALPA-represented pilots since Comair in 2001.[23] [24]

On June 15, negotiations between the airline and ALPA resumed. A tentative agreement was reached late in the evening on June 16. The tentative agreement, which Spirit pilots later ratified by a 74%,[25] brought Spirit pilots' compensation and benefits in line with comparable Airbus operators in the US. Flights resumed on June 18.[26]

In 2007, Spirit Plus was rebranded as "Big Front Seat" and business class service was discontinued. For an additional fee, a person could choose "Big Front Seat", or upgrade at the airport. In December 2010, Spirit Airlines introduced the Free Spirit World MasterCard.[27]

2010s

In April 2010, Spirit Airlines became the first U.S. airline to charge passengers for carry-on bags.[28] They were later followed by Allegiant Air and Frontier Airlines.[29]

In April 2012, Spirit refused to refund a terminally ill American military veteran, who had purchased a non-refundable ticket between Florida and Atlantic City before receiving orders from his doctor not to fly.[30] [31] The decision caused outrage among veterans' groups and the general public, some of whom threatened to boycott Spirit unless both a refund and apology were issued. In May, Spirit CEO Ben Baldanza apologized for how the situation was handled and personally refunded the man's ticket. The airline made a $5,000 donation to the Wounded Warrior Project in his name.[32]

In August 2013, Spirit reached an agreement on a new five-year deal with the Transport Workers Union of America, who represent the airline's flight dispatchers.[33]

In November 2014, Morgan Stanley named Spirit the top growth airline pick for investors.[34]

In January 2016, former AirTran CEO Robert L. Fornaro replaced Baldanza as CEO.[35] This prompted rumors of a merger with Frontier Airlines,[36] which would have created the largest ultra-low-cost carrier in the Americas.[37] Fornaro announced the airline would be teaming up with the Disney Institute to "create a common purpose and a fresh set of service standards", and changing policies internally to create a more welcoming environment.[38]

In November 2017, Spirit's on-time performance was second in the country, behind only Delta Air Lines, a significant improvement from December 2015, when it ranked last among thirteen airlines with 68.7% of flights arriving on time.[39] In February 2018, Spirit was the only airline in North America to make the list of the top 10 safest in the world.[40]

In May 2018, Spirit announced that they would be the first ultra-low-cost carrier to fit their aircraft with high-speed WiFi access that started in the fall of 2018. All of their aircraft were expected to be equipped with WiFi by summer 2019.[41]

In October 2019, Spirit Airlines announced plans to move their headquarters to Dania Beach, Florida. The new complex was planned to be around 500,000 square feet and will be equipped with flight simulators. The plans were changed in 2021 for the 6-story headquarters to be around 180,222 square feet, the training facility to be around 100,000 square feet and the parking garage to have 998 spaces.[42]

In December 2019, Spirit Airlines announced its intention to purchase 100 new Airbus A320neo family aircraft.[43]

COVID-19

In 2020, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Spirit Airlines received $334 million in aid in the form of grants and loans via the Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security Act (CARES). The money was used to fund employees until September 30. In July 2020, the company announced that it would put 20–30% of its employees on leave of absence in October.[44] In August, some pilots and flight attendants agreed to take a voluntary leave of absence or have their work schedule temporarily reduced to avoid layoffs.[45]

In July 2020, a passenger died of COVID-19 on a Spirit Airlines flight. Spirit Airlines claimed it notified the Centers for Disease Control but there was no record of the contact. Passengers on the flight were not informed that they were around an infected individual.[46]

Attempted mergers

In February 2022, Spirit announced its intention to be acquired by Frontier Airlines pending regulatory approval, with Frontier Airlines stock being the surviving entity.[47] The deal would make the combined airline the fifth largest airline in the U.S.[48] [49] In July 2022, Spirit's shareholders rejected Frontier's offer.[50]

In April 2022, JetBlue proposed to acquire Spirit for $33 per share in cash, equivalent to $3.6 billion.[51] [52] In May, Spirit said its board of directors has decided not to consider JetBlue's proposal. According to Spirit Airlines, JetBlue's proposed acquisition would be unlikely to be approved by the U.S. Department of Justice's Antitrust Division, because it would likely believe that an ultra-low-cost carrier being purchased by a higher-fare airline would increase fares for consumers. Spirit noted that the Antitrust Division is looking into JetBlue's strategic partnership with American Airlines for the same reason.[53]

In July–August 2022, Spirit's inflight Internet service, provided by Thales' FlytLIVE, transitioned to a new satellite to provide "the fastest Wi-Fi service of any US-based airline". The SES-17 high-throughput satellite from operator SES provides A320 and A321 passengers across all Spirit routes with connection speeds of up to 400 Mbit/s throughout their flight.[54] [55] [56]

In July 2022, JetBlue reached an agreement to purchase Spirit for $33.50 per share, with additional inducements for Spirit shareholders.[57] [58] The deal would have made the unified company the fifth-largest airline based in the United States.[58], the deal was approved by a majority of the airline's voting shareholders.[59] The Department of Justice sought to block the deal, taking JetBlue to court over the sale.[60] In legal filings, the Justice Department claimed that the merger would result in "higher fares, fewer seats, and harm millions of consumers".[61] [62] The trial began in October 2023.[63] Following a trial, a federal judge blocked JetBlue's acquisition of Spirit Airlines on January 16, 2024, citing that the deal was anticompetitive towards other airline corporations and would harm consumers. As a result, Spirit Airlines' stock fell by approximately 47%, and the airline expressed concern over its future. Speculators predicted that Spirit may have to file for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection followed by a liquidation process if the airline could not come up with a growth plan.[64] [65] [66] However, on January 18, Spirit denied these speculations, stating that the company has no plans to file for bankruptcy and is currently looking for new plans to maintain its future.[67] JetBlue ended its takeover attempt on March 4, 2024, after a federal judge ruled the move would reduce competition.[68]

Corporate affairs

Ownership

Spirit Airlines, Inc., is a Delaware corporation[69] that is publicly traded on the New York Stock Exchange .

Business trends

The key trends for Spirit Airlines are (years ending December 31):[70]

Turnover
($m)		Net profit
($m)		Number of
employees
(FTE)		Number of
passengers
(m)		Passenger
load factor
(%)		Number of
aircraft		Notes/
sources
20141,9322253,72214.386.765[71]
20152,1413174,32617.984.779[72]
20162,3202635,15921.684.795
20172,6444166,10024.283.1112
20183,3231567,11029.383.9128
20193,8313358,93834.584.4145[73]
20201,8108,75618.469.7157[74]
20213,2309,21830.878.8173[75]
20225,06811,10738.581.9194
20235,36212,79844.181.3205[76]

Headquarters

Spirit has its headquarters at 2800 Executive Way, Miramar, Florida. It moved there from its previous Eastpointe location in 1999. there were 600 employees located in the office. Chris Sloan of Airways Magazine stated that the building was "nondescript low slung".[77] Sloan added that the interior, prior to a 2014 renovation, was, "To put it charitably, [...] a dump", but that employees felt ownership over the office.

In 2019 the airline announced that it would move to a new headquarters of up to 500000square feet in the Dania Pointe development in Dania Beach, Florida, spending $250 million. The airline anticipates that it will house 1,000 employees.[78]

Business model

Under CEO Ben Baldanza, Spirit began a transition to an ultra-low-cost carrier, following a fare model involving charging for amenities that are often included in the base ticket price of traditional carriers. Passengers who wanted to customize their itinerary or seat selection paid an add-on fee for each additional feature, which enabled the carrier to earn ancillary revenue in excess of 40% of total revenue.[79] These included having an agent print a boarding pass at check-in versus doing it online or at a kiosk,[80] for any large carry-on or checked bags, progressive fees for overweight bags, selected seat assignments, travel insurance, and more.[81]

Controversy

Spirit Airlines has been the subject of numerous complaints, and to punitive actions by the United States Department of Transportation (DOT). Most of the claims against the company were for allegations of deceptive advertising practices, customer service, and the airline's policies for charging additional fees at the time of purchase:

Destinations

See main article: List of Spirit Airlines destinations.

Spirit flies to 83 destinations throughout Central America, the Caribbean, South America, and the United States., It maintains crew bases at Atlanta, Atlantic City, Chicago–O'Hare, Dallas/Fort Worth, Detroit, Fort Lauderdale, Houston–Intercontinental, Las Vegas, Miami, Newark, and Orlando.[92] [93]

Fleet

Current fleet

, Spirit Airlines operates an all-Airbus A320 and A320neo family fleet.[94]

Spirit Airlines fleet
AircraftIn
service		OrdersPassengersNotes
CYTotal
Airbus A319-1008 - 10135145To be retired by 2025.[95]
Airbus A320-20064 - 8174182
Airbus A320neo9134Orders include 50 options.
Largest operator of its type in the US.
Airbus A321-20030 - 8220228
Airbus A321neo18528227235
Total21186[96]

Fleet development

A February 2020 fleet plan outlines 293 aircraft planned by 2027.[97] An order of 100 additional aircraft with 50 options was announced in October 2019.[98] [99] In July 2023, the airline converted an order of 31 A319neos into A321neos.[96]

Historical fleet

The following aircraft formerly operated in the Spirit Airlines fleet:[94]

Spirit Airlines historical fleet
AircraftTotalIntroducedRetiredReplacement
McDonnell Douglas DC-9-21319951997None
McDonnell Douglas DC-9-31619922003McDonnell Douglas MD-80
McDonnell Douglas DC-9-327
McDonnell Douglas DC-9-4121996
McDonnell Douglas MD-81619992005Airbus A320 family
McDonnell Douglas MD-821519982007
McDonnell Douglas MD-83152010
McDonnell Douglas MD-87120002009

Frequent-flyer program

Spirit Airlines' frequent-flyer program is called Free Spirit.[100] Spirit has a three-tier frequent flyer status program. The tiers are Free Spirit Member, Silver (Earn 2,000 status qualifying points in a calendar year), and Gold (Earn 5,000 status qualifying points in a calendar year).

Accidents and incidents

See also

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Spirit Airlines on ch-aviation . 2023-11-09 . ch-aviation . en.
  2. Web site: Federal Aviation Administration – Airline Certificate Information – Detail View. av-info.faa.gov. June 27, 2019.
  3. Web site: Join – Free Spirit. www.spirit.com . February 10, 2019.
  4. Web site: Spirit Airlines, Inc., 2022 Annual Report (Form 10-K) . . February 6, 2023 .
  5. News: Nicas . Jack . May 14, 2012 . A Stingy Spirit Lifts Airline's Profit . . December 12, 2023.
  6. Web site: Spirit Airlines – History. August 1, 2011. Spirit Airlines, Inc.. https://web.archive.org/web/20160923161824/https://www.spirit.com/Content/Documents/en-US/Spirit%20Airlines%20History.pdf. September 23, 2016. live. April 8, 2018.
  7. Web site: Wittkowski . Donald . May 30, 1992 . Small Airline Expands A.C. Flights with Jets . The Press of Atlantic City.
  8. Web site: September 5, 1993 . Spirit Expands Fla./Atlantic City Air Service . The Press of Atlantic City.
  9. Web site: Belden . Tom . April 12, 1994 . Atlanta-based Line Plans Phila. Flights . The Philadelphia Inquirer.
  10. Web site: Sangiacomo . Michael . June 8, 1994 . Spirit Airlines Pledges That Anyone With Ticket Will Fly . The Plain Dealer . Cleveland, Ohio. subscription.
  11. News: Bryant . Paul . April 9, 2021 . Commercial pilot, daughter team up to fly hot air balloons over Denton . September 15, 2023 . Denton Record-Chronicle.
  12. News: Three 99s earn United Airlines Type Ratings together. International Women Pilots . The Ninety-Nines Inc. . August 1997. September 15, 2023.
  13. Web site: World Airline Directory. Flight International. March 25–31, 1998. 92. https://web.archive.org/web/20140718002237/http://www.flightglobal.com/pdfarchive/view/1998/1998%20-%200756.html?search=. July 18, 2014. live. Spirit Airlines: 18121 East 8 Mile Road, Eastpointe, 48021, Michigan, USA. Flight Global/Archive.
  14. News: February 13, 2003 . Spirit Airlines Honored as 'Good Corporate Citizen of the Year' . December 17, 2009 . Miramar Business Appreciation 2003 . Business Wire.
  15. News: August 8, 1999 . AS THE SPIRIT MOVES THEM . . December 12, 2023.
  16. Web site: - SPIRIT AIRLINES INC Violation Tracker. violationtracker.goodjobsfirst.org. en. April 8, 2018. https://web.archive.org/web/20180408205927/https://violationtracker.goodjobsfirst.org/violation-tracker/-spirit-airlines-inc-21. April 8, 2018. live.
  17. Web site: FAA To Fine TWA, Spirit For Violations. aviationweek.com. en. April 8, 2018. https://web.archive.org/web/20180408211306/http://aviationweek.com/awin/faa-fine-twa-spirit-violations. April 8, 2018. live.
  18. News: Ex-employee of Spirit Airlines files suit on maintenance records. February 17, 2013. Skift. April 8, 2018. en-US. https://web.archive.org/web/20180408141611/https://skift.com/2013/02/17/spirit-airlines-ex-employee-files-suit-on-falsified-maintenance-records/. April 8, 2018. live.
  19. Book: Melewar . Corporate Branding: Areas, arenas and approaches . April 10, 2015 . Routledge . 978-1-317-95091-2 . 47.
  20. Web site: Production List Search . www.planespotters.net . February 10, 2019 . https://web.archive.org/web/20160702151845/https://www.planespotters.net/production-list/search?fleet=Spirit-Airlines&manufacturer=Airbus&subtype=A320-200&fleetStatus=current . July 2, 2016 . live .
  21. Web site: New York Business News – Business, Money, Financial & Corporate News. NBC New York. en. April 8, 2018. https://web.archive.org/web/20081201160637/http://www.wnbc.com/money/16476021/detail.html. December 1, 2008. live.
  22. News: Are carry-on bag fees hurting Spirit Airlines? . . May 21, 2010 . Hugo Martin . January 9, 2013 . https://web.archive.org/web/20130204071206/http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/money_co/2010/05/are-carryon-bag-fees-hurting-spirit-airlines.html . February 4, 2013 . live .
  23. News: Spirit Airlines cancels all flights as pilots go on strike . CNN. . April 8, 2018. en. https://web.archive.org/web/20180408141648/http://www.cnn.com/2010/TRAVEL/06/12/airline.strike/index.html?iref=allsearch. April 8, 2018. live.
  24. Web site: June 12, 2010 . Spirit Airlines cancels all flights as pilots go on strike . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20100618155306/http://www.flightglobal.com/articles/2010/06/14/343253/shutdown-continues-after-spirit-pilots-reject-29-base-pay.html . June 18, 2010 . December 12, 2023 . CNN.
  25. News: Spirit Airlines pilots approve a new contract . Sun Sentinel . Sun-Sentinel Company . September 15, 2023.
  26. Web site: Johnsson . Julie . Spirit, pilots reach deal to end strike . June 16, 2010 . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20100621135925/http://www.flightglobal.com/articles/2010/06/17/343364/spirit-pilots-plan-to-return-to-work-on-18-june.html . June 21, 2010 . December 12, 2023 . Chicago Tribune.
  27. Web site: Spirit Airlines World MasterCard® Credit Card . Bank of America . June 9, 2013 . https://web.archive.org/web/20140920193241/https://www.bankofamerica.com/credit-cards/products/spirit-airlines-credit-card.go . September 20, 2014 . live .
  28. Web site: April 6, 2010 . Spirit Airlines to Charge New Fee for Carry-On Luggage . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20170415045204/https://abcnews.go.com/Travel/spirit-airlines-charge-fee-carryon-luggage-bag-surcharge/story?id=10298802 . April 15, 2017 . February 10, 2019 . ABC News . en.
  29. Web site: Gilbertson . Dawn . October 19, 2018 . Flying Spirit, Frontier or Allegiant? Here are 12 things you need to know . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20190129165613/https://www.usatoday.com/story/travel/flights/2018/10/19/spirit-frontier-allegiant-baggage-fees-seat-fees-users-guide/1645179002/ . January 29, 2019 . February 10, 2019 . USA Today . en.
  30. News: Spirit Airlines' final answer to dying Vietnam vet seeking ticket refund: No . Fox News . April 30, 2012 . May 25, 2012 . https://web.archive.org/web/20120514153251/http://www.foxnews.com/us/2012/04/30/spirit-airlines-stands-by-policy-denies-dying-florida-man-refund-request/ . May 14, 2012 . live .
  31. News: Miller . Joshua Rhett . May 3, 2012 . Spirit Airlines' boss calls industry-high complaint rate 'irrelevant,' says dying veteran should've bought insurance . . live . December 12, 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20120527235833/http://www.foxnews.com/us/2012/05/03/spirit-airlines-outpaces-competitors-regarding-passenger-complaints-statistics/ . May 27, 2012.
  32. News: Miller . Joshua Rhett . May 4, 2012 . Spirit bows to pressure: Airline CEO to refund dying veteran's fare . . live . December 12, 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20120509073909/http://www.foxnews.com/us/2012/05/04/spirit-caves-airline-boss-refunds-dying-vet-fare/ . May 9, 2012.
  33. Web site: TWU Dispatchers Ratify New Agreement With Spirit Airlines. Transport Workers Union of America. August 20, 2013. October 18, 2017. https://web.archive.org/web/20171019055319/https://www.twu.org/twu-dispatchers-ratify-new-agreement-with-spirit-airlines/. October 19, 2017. live.
  34. Tuttle . Brad . October 29, 2014 . America's Cheapest Airline Looks to Make Flights Even Cheaper . live . Money.com . https://web.archive.org/web/20210516031326/https://money.com/spirit-airlines-cheap-flights/ . May 16, 2021 . November 12, 2014.
  35. Web site: Mayerowitz . Scott . January 5, 2016 . Brash, fee-happy CEO of Spirit Airlines abruptly replaced . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20160106134724/https://abcnews.go.com/Business/wireStory/brash-fee-happy-ceo-spirit-airlines-abruptly-replaced-36096571 . January 6, 2016 . October 16, 2023 . AP News . Associated Press.
  36. News: ANALYSIS: New Spirit chief refuels Frontier merger rumours. January 6, 2016. FlightGlobal. April 7, 2018. en-GB. https://web.archive.org/web/20180218204537/https://www.flightglobal.com/news/articles/analysis-new-spirit-chief-refuels-frontier-merger-r-420538/. February 18, 2018. live.
  37. Web site: Spirit Airlines Gets a New CEO: Reading Between the Lines. The Motley Fool. Adam. Levine-Weinberg. November 1, 2016. January 10, 2016. https://web.archive.org/web/20160110030343/http://www.fool.com/investing/general/2016/01/06/spirit-airlines-gets-a-new-ceo-reading-between-the.aspx. January 10, 2016. live.
  38. Web site: Spirit Airlines turns to Disney to improve its customer service. Martin. Hugo. Los Angeles Times. November 18, 2017. April 8, 2018. https://web.archive.org/web/20180408141226/http://www.latimes.com/business/la-fi-travel-briefcase-spirit-20171118-story.html. April 8, 2018. live.
  39. News: Spirit Airlines Now Delivers More Flights On Time Than American Or United. Martin. Grant. Forbes. April 8, 2018. en. https://web.archive.org/web/20180408142646/https://www.forbes.com/sites/grantmartin/2018/01/14/spirit-airlines-now-delivers-more-flights-on-time-than-american-or-united/. April 8, 2018. live.
  40. News: James . Nancy . 2023-10-04 . Is Spirit Airlines Safe To Fly? – Spirit Airlines Safety Record . Airlinespolicy . 2023-12-12 .
  41. Web site: Spirit is first budget airline in the US to offer WiFi. May 11, 2018. May 20, 2018. https://web.archive.org/web/20180521020758/https://www.engadget.com/2018/05/11/spirit-airlines-wifi/. May 21, 2018. live.
  42. Web site: Spirit Airlines Plans Smaller Headquarters in Dania Beach . September 14, 2021 .
  43. Web site: Spirit Airlines to buy 100 Airbus A320neo family aircraft. December 23, 2019. CNBC. January 12, 2020.
  44. Web site: Spirit Airlines prepares to furlough 20% to 30% of employees . Arrojas . Matthew . 30 July 2020 . South Florida Business Journal . 14 August 2020.
  45. Web site: Spirit Airlines Reaches Deal With Pilots to Avoid Layoffs . TravelPulse.
  46. News: Duncan . Ian . 31 October 2020 . A woman died of coronavirus on a plane. Her fellow passengers were never notified. . The Washington Post . 31 October 2020.
  47. Frontier Airlines and Spirit Airlines to Combine, Creating America's Most Competitive Ultra-Low Fare Airline . Securities and Exchange Commission.
  48. Web site: LeBeau . Phil . 7 February 2022 . Frontier and Spirit to merge creating fifth-largest airline in U.S. . 7 February 2022 . CNBC.
  49. News: Schaper . David . Hernandez . Joe . 7 February 2022 . Frontier-Spirit merger promises better deals and service; critics aren't so sure . 9 February 2022 . NPR.
  50. News: Chokshi . Niraj . 2022-07-27 . Spirit Airlines and Frontier call off a proposed merger . The New York Times . 2022-07-27 . 0362-4331.
  51. Web site: Josephs . Leslie . April 5, 2022 . JetBlue makes all-cash offer for Spirit Airlines, complicating planned Frontier tie-up . 6 April 2022 . CNBC .
  52. JetBlue Submits Superior Proposal to Acquire Spirit,Positioning America's Much-Loved Airline as the Most Compelling National Low-Fare Challenger to the 'Big Four' Airlines . Securities and Exchange Commission.
  53. News: Isadore . Chris . May 2, 2022 . Spirit rejects JetBlue's offer, saying it wants to be bought by Frontier . CNN Business .
  54. Spirit Airlines Completes Initial High-Speed Wi-Fi Installation, Takes Ultra-Low Fare Air Travel Experience to New Heights . Spirit Airlines . 13 July 2022 . 29 March 2023.
  55. Web site: Kirby . Mary . 2022-08-21 . Spirit's transition to SES-17 satellite capacity continues apace . 2023-03-29 . Runway Girl.
  56. Spirit Airlines Passengers Enjoy Fast Wi-Fi in the Sky Enabled by High-Powered SES-17 Satellite . Spirit Airlines . 22 February 2023 . 29 March 2023.
  57. Web site: Ex-99.1 .
  58. News: Sider . Alison . 28 July 2022 . JetBlue Agrees to Buy Spirit Airlines for $3.8 Billion After Frontier Deal Dies . 28 July 2022 . The Wall Street Journal . 0099-9660.
  59. Web site: Koenig . David . October 19, 2022 . Spirit Airlines shareholders approve $3.8B sale to JetBlue . October 19, 2022 . Yahoo!finance .
  60. News: Raymond . Nate . October 31, 2023 . US seeks to block JetBlue's Spirit Airlines deal at trial . Reuters . October 31, 2023.
  61. News: Bartz . Diane . Shepardson . David . March 7, 2023 . US sues to stop JetBlue's deal for Spirit, cites consumer harm . Reuters .
  62. Web site: Isidore . Chris . 2023-03-07 . US Justice Department sues to block JetBlue's purchase of Spirit Airlines CNN Business . 2023-03-07 . CNN . en.
  63. News: Raymond . Nate . 2023-10-31 . US seeks to block JetBlue's Spirit Airlines deal at trial . Reuters . 2023-11-06.
  64. News: Michaels . David . Sider . Alison . 16 January 2024 . Federal Judge Blocks JetBlue's $3.8 Billion Acquisition of Spirit Airlines . 16 January 2024 . The Wall Street Journal.
  65. Web site: US judge blocks JetBlue from acquiring Spirit Airlines . 16 January 2024. 16 January 2024 . Reuters.
  66. Web site: Focus: Spirit Airlines finds itself with few options after judge blocks deal with JetBlue . 16 January 2024 . 16 January 2024 . Reuters.
  67. Web site: Spirit Air Says No Bankruptcy Planning After JetBlue Setback . 18 January 2024 . 18 January 2024 . Bloomberg Law.
  68. News: Feuer . Will . JetBlue Airways Scraps $3.8 Billion Takeover of Spirit Airlines . 2024-03-04 . WSJ .
  69. Web site: February 13, 2019 . Spirit Airlines FORM 10-K December 31, 2018 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20191116151031/http://ir.spirit.com/Cache/396731595.pdf . November 16, 2019 . November 16, 2019 . Spirit Airlines.
  70. Web site: Spirit Airlines - Annual Reports / 10-K . 2024-08-19 . ir.spirit.com.
  71. News: February 18, 2015 . Spirit Airlines, Inc., 2014 Annual Report . December 6, 2019 . en.
  72. News: February 13, 2017 . Spirit Airlines, Inc., 2016 Annual Report . December 6, 2019 . en.
  73. News: April 16, 2020 . Spirit Airlines, Inc., 2019 FORM 10-K Annual Report . June 8, 2020 . en.
  74. Web site: Spirit Airlines, Inc., Annual Report 2020 . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20230326144349/https://s24.q4cdn.com/507316502/files/doc_financials/2020/ar/c2a41aa1-7a65-44e3-86c4-6a7e7a917c1a.pdf . Mar 26, 2023 . 7 July 2023 . . en.
  75. Web site: Spirit Airlines, Inc., Annual Report 2022 . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20230331002138/https://s24.q4cdn.com/507316502/files/doc_financials/2022/q4/SAVE-2022.12.31-10K-filed-2.6.23.pdf . Mar 31, 2023 . 7 July 2023 . . en.
  76. Web site: 9 February 2024 . Spirit Airlines 10-K Financial Year 2023 . Spirit Airlines.
  77. Web site: Sloan . Chris . May 13, 2016 . A Look into Spirit Airlines' Frills-Free Corporate HQ and OCC . October 23, 2019 . Airways Magazine.
  78. Web site: Pounds . Marcia Heroux . October 17, 2019 . Spirit Airlines to invest $250 million in new headquarters and move 1,000 employees . October 23, 2019 . South Florida Sun Sentinel.
  79. Web site: Spirit Airlines tops global ancillary revenue per PAX rankings. live. https://web.archive.org/web/20180201080018/https://www.frontiermagazine.co.uk/news/spirit-airlines-tops-global-ancillary-revenue-per-pax-rankings-21-07-2016/. February 1, 2018. April 8, 2018. www.frontiermagazine.co.uk. en-US.
  80. News: Satchell . Arlene . March 13, 2013 . Spirit to double fee for agent-printed boarding passes in April . . 2023-12-12.
  81. Web site: Our optional fees. live. https://web.archive.org/web/20130509165312/http://www.spirit.com/OptionalFees.aspx. May 9, 2013. May 12, 2013. Spirit Airlines.
  82. News: November 21, 2011. DOT Fines Spirit Airlines for Violating Price Advertising Rulest. en. US Department of Transportation. live. May 9, 2018. https://web.archive.org/web/20180509151109/https://www.transportation.gov/briefing-room/dot-fines-spirit-airlines-violating-price-advertising-rulest. May 9, 2018.
  83. News: Martin. Hugo. November 22, 2011. Spirit Airlines fined for how it advertised $9 airfares. Los Angeles Times. live. May 31, 2018. https://web.archive.org/web/20160530054239/http://articles.latimes.com/2011/nov/22/business/la-fi-spirit-fine-20111122. May 30, 2016.
  84. News: January 27, 2012. DOT Fines Spirit Airlines Over Handling of Disability Complaints. en. US Department of Transportation. live. May 9, 2018. https://web.archive.org/web/20180509151201/https://www.transportation.gov/affairs/2012/dot1412.html. May 9, 2018.
  85. News: Martin. Hugo. January 27, 2012. Spirit Airlines fined $100,000 over disabled passengers' complaints. Los Angeles Times. live. May 31, 2018. https://web.archive.org/web/20170723091946/http://articles.latimes.com/2012/jan/27/business/la-fi-mo-spirit-airlines-fine-20120127. July 23, 2017.
  86. News: LeBeau . Phil . February 18, 2016 . Spirit Airlines triggered the most complaints . . live . October 16, 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20180612143623/https://www.cnbc.com/2016/02/18/spirit-airlines-triggered-the-most-complaints.html . June 12, 2018.
  87. News: Christie. Les. April 11, 2014. Spirit Airlines tops complaint list. CNN Money. live. May 31, 2018. https://web.archive.org/web/20180612230849/http://money.cnn.com/2014/04/11/pf/airline-complaints/index.html. June 12, 2018.
  88. Web site: Torres. María Paula Mijares. Rosenberg. Amy S.. August 3, 2021. Philadelphia-area travelers are left stranded as Spirit Airlines cancels flights across the country. August 3, 2021. inquirer.com.
  89. News: Josephs. Leslie. August 10, 2021. Spirit Airlines stabilizes after more than a week of travel chaos. August 16, 2021. CNBC.
  90. Web site: Woman Urinates on Plane's Floor, Claims Airline Didn't Let Her Use Washroom .
  91. Web site: Spirit Airlines Crew Refuses to Let Passenger Use the Restroom, She's Forced to Go on the Floor . July 21, 2023 .
  92. News: Spirit recruits hundreds of flight attendants . . June 3, 2015 . January 6, 2017 . Satchell, Arlene . Fort Lauderdale . https://web.archive.org/web/20170107095621/http://www.sun-sentinel.com/business/tourism/fl-spirit-air-job-fair-20150603-story.html . January 7, 2017 . live .
  93. Web site: Spirit Airlines expands again, adds new route to U.S. Virgin Islands. USA Today. April 9, 2018. https://web.archive.org/web/20180227150444/https://www.usatoday.com/story/travel/flights/todayinthesky/2018/02/20/spirit-airlines-expands-again-adds-new-route-u-s-virgin-islands/354199002/. February 27, 2018. live.
  94. Web site: Spirit Airlines Fleet Details and History. www.planespotters.net. en. August 5, 2023. https://web.archive.org/web/20170812101116/https://www.planespotters.net/airline/Spirit-Airlines. August 12, 2017. live.
  95. Web site: US's Spirit Airlines to retire A319s by the end of 2025. 23 January 2023. Ch-Aviation.
  96. Web site: 30, 2023 Orders and deliveries Airbus. October 10, 2023.
  97. Web site: June 20, 2020. Fleet Plan – Spirit Airlines, Inc.. June 20, 2020. ir.spirit.com/resources/fleet-plan. Spirit Airlines, Inc..
  98. News: December 23, 2019. Spirit Airlines to buy 100 Airbus A320neo family aircraft. en. Reuters. June 20, 2020.
  99. Web site: Spirit Airlines finalises order for 100 Airbus A320neo Family aircraft. May 10, 2020. Airbus. en.
  100. Web site: Free Spirit® Status Match FAQ . 2023-12-12 . Spirit.com.
  101. Web site: Hradecky . Simon . Accident: Spirit A319 at Boston on Jul 17th 2015, fumes on board, captain died 50 days later . . August 20, 2024 . April 4, 2018.
  102. Web site: Feldman . Kiera . How Toxic Fumes Seep Into The Air You Breathe on Planes . . August 20, 2024 . December 17, 2020.

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